For these two oldies, Veli Zwane (59) and Gabriel Putsoe (72), it is their love of the sport that keeps them going, regardless of the lack of facilities in the area.
These golfers spend their practice sessions hitting the balls, then they strategically mark the distance with the eye depending on where the balls land and afterwards go and handpick all these balls.
“The greatest thing about this sport is that you need to satisfy the need to beat your own record so the challenge for us it to compete with ourselves and to keep perfecting our skill.
“It also disciplines you, makes you realise you can achieve anything you put your mind to, is a fun activity and you can play it till you die regardless of your age,” says Putsoe, who started playing the sport in 1969.
Though the two men normally practise at the sports complex, for competing purposes they go to the golf course to compete either as individuals or sometimes as part of a club.
“Some of us local golfers belong to the Springs Country Club and Pollak Park Golf Club but we can’t go there all the time as it is far, so it would be great if we had facilities dedicated to golf here in the township.
“All other sports have maintained grounds and goalposts but for us there is nothing.
“We do, however, appreciate that we are allowed to come and practise at the KwaThema Sports Complex, though the challenge is that we have to measure the field with the naked eye as there are no targets or markings,” adds Zwane, whose journey in the sport began in 1980.
The only wish the pair has is that a space can be created specifically for golf with markings so that the sport can grow.
The golfing duo express that they have tried to speak to various people in government, but never know who the correct person to talk to is since nothing happens after these discussions.
“There are young people who are interested in the sport and at some point some used to train in KwaThema, but this soon died out due to some challenges.
“It’s easy to have a driving range which could be properly maintained and marked with putting green and bunkers (sand area) so we can properly teach our children the skill.
“We plead with the sports council to at least have a driving range structure for us at the sports complex as the space is there. They can speak to us and we will assist them with the knowledge we have of what is needed,” adds Putsoe.
